Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., wishes the rest of America would follow Wyoming’s lead on energy legislation.

“(Wyoming) is the energy capital of America,” he said. “We are the Saudi Arabia of coal, we have world class winds, and through multiple use, we continue to be the most beautiful state in the country. We have done it right and I’ve repeatedly said in Washington that Wyoming is doing it right.”

Barrasso took time out of his visit to Torrington Saturday afternoon to outline what he called dangers of proposed cap and trade climate control legislation – which he prefers to call “cap and tax.” Cap and trade legislation would ultimately hurt the economy of southeast Wyoming, he said.

“I believe it’s going to raise energy costs for nearly everyone. It’s essentially a national energy tax,” he said. “We need all the energy; we need oil, gas, wind, solar, coal, the uranium for nuclear power. We need it all.

“Whenever the president wants to penalize one source, that means it’s going to raise costs,” he added.

Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., John Kerry, D-Mass., and Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., were scheduled to introduce the legislation to Congress Monday afternoon, but Graham pulled out of the effort during the weekend citing partisan politics. The legislation would create a cap on emissions for American industries and energy producers. Entities would have to purchase allowances to go over the cap.

Instead of adding another tax on American industry, Barrasso said he will urge Congress to promote the expansion of new energy technology. Handcuffing America’s industry with another tax will only hurt America in the global marketplace, he said.

“China is going to continue to put their economy ahead of their environment. Their emissions are going to keep going up all the way through 2050. Russia has the least efficient use of energy of any country, it’s just awful, and India’s not far behind,” he said in addressing some of the major foreign competitors to American manufacturing.

“When people try to say America ought to tie its hands behind its back economically to save the environment, I say we need to make the investment in the technology to make energy as clean as we can as fast as can and get that technology to the people who are emitting more than we are,” he added.

Much of that research and development can occur in Wyoming, Barrasso said, pointing out the University of Wyoming and the state of Wyoming’s work on a $100 million joint research project with General Electric on clean coal technology.

“There are a lot of interesting things being done with carbon dioxide technology,” he said. “The technology is going to come, it’s just a matter of making sure the investment and resources are there.”

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